


The Horseman Rides at the Hellmouth

by Joshua_Preston



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 11:38:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14331660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joshua_Preston/pseuds/Joshua_Preston
Summary: The Hessian Horseman returns to exact his revenge on IchabodCrane's decendent. Alexander "Xander" LaVelle Harris.





	The Horseman Rides at the Hellmouth

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers: The movie "Sleepy Hollow". If you haven't seen it, then do  
> so. It rocks! As far as Buffy goes, "The Gift". Except for a few  
> changes. Xander did not propose to Anya. She died. And Joyce, Buffy  
> and Dawn are all alive and well.  
> Note: This takes place at the end of the movie, "Sleepy Hollow".  
> Disclaimer: Buffy TVS belongs to Joss Whedon. The Legend of Sleepy  
> Hollow belongs to Washington Irving. This story is based on the movie.

"Horseman!" Ichabod shouted. He threw the skull at the Headless  
Horseman.

The former German soldier caught in mid-air. He put it on where his  
neck would be. Flesh started to crawl and reclaim his head. Soon  
after, his head was whole once more.

He rode over and picked up the one woman who summoned him in the  
first place. The Horseman leaned over and kissed without passion.  
Blood soon came pouring out, due to his sharpened theeth.

As he started his way back to hell, the dead warrior stopped. "Be  
warned Crane, I shall return. However, you have returned my head. I  
shall not return in your lifetime. I shall return to your decendent.  
The one who is in the valley of the sun. The valley that sits upon  
the whole that leads to hell." He then leapt into the tree of dead.

Never to return to Sleepy Hollow again.

"Constable Crane? By what did he mean by that?" Young Nasbeth asked.

The well educated man shook his head. "I have no idea, Young Nasbeth.  
I have no idea." Ichabod answered. But had a feeling of dread and  
worry for the decendent that had to face off against The Headless  
Horseman.

2001

Sleepy Hollow, New York

For over 200 years, this tree had stood in this very spot. By lore  
and legend, it is said that this is the Tree of the Dead. Here is the  
final resting place of the most brutal warrior of the Revoulutionary  
War. He the Hessian Horseman.

In 1799, he was brought back through magic. He was labled  
the "Headless Horseman". When he was finally stopped, nearly 12  
people had lost their lives. He was stopped by a Police Constable  
from New York City. His name was Ichabod Crane.

Winds started to whip. Lightning appeared out nowhere. And the  
Headless Horseman came out of his 2 century rest. Out for revenge  
against the decendent of the one man who stopped him.

Sunnydale, California

For Xander Harris, he had finally reached his life-long dream. Over  
the three months since Glory's defeat, he entered the police acadamy.  
And now he had graduated. Now, he is Officer Alexander Harris.

Everyone was there. Buffy, Dawn and Joyce. Willow and Tara. Giles was  
so proud of him. Even Angel, Cordy and Wesley came from L.A. With  
three new friends. Winifred, Gunn and Lorne.

Anya, God rest her soul, died saving Dawn.

And up above, no one noticed the spirits of lost loved ones. Jesse,  
Miss Calender, Doyle and even Ichabod Crane. Smiling down on Xander.  
For Crane, it was mixed feelings. He was proud of his decendent. But  
he had a feeling of dread. That the Horseman would be coming for him.

After the ceremony, everyone was at Xander's apartment. And things  
were in full swing. Giles and Joyce, who were dating each other ever  
since the operation, were dancing slowly with each other. Dawn was  
estatic, thinking that she would be getting a new dad. Buffy looked  
at them with aprehension. Still recalling what happened with the  
cursed candy.

Angel and Cordy were too busy making out in a closet. They have been  
like this ever since Angel's soul was bonded with Cordelia's.

Willow and Tara have actually grown apart. Mainly due to Tara's  
insanity. By chance, Wesley had broken it off with Virgina. So things  
between them have, slowly, been blosoming.

And Gunn and Fred have developed feelings for eachother.

So things were looking up.

Untill a news broadcast disrupted the party. "There have been a  
string of grisly murders across the US." This caught everyone's  
attention. Even Angel and Cordy's. Clothes and hair disheveled. "And  
reports say this is obviously a serial murder. All the victems have  
been white males. All dark haired and in their mid-twenties. It  
started in a run-down town in upstate New York. It once was known as  
Sleepy Hollow. We will keep you posted as soon as more evidence  
presents itself. We now return you to your regular scheduled  
program." It went back to playing "Bruce Wayne: the TV series".

All were horrified by the recent events played on television. But  
only Xander was pailer than anyone else. And there was a reason for  
that. Something his grandmother once told. About a headless horseman  
taking heads untill he found his own. And her grandfather, Ichabod  
Crane was the one man who stopped him.

And right now, Xander was the one man who could stop him. Once and  
for all.

When he finally regained his composure, Xander decided to tell  
everyone what secret his family held.

"Guys? There is something in my family line that no one else knows.  
Untill now." Xander said rather cryptically.

Xander sat down, trying to contain the trembling in his hands. "This  
horseman is after me. I'm the one he wants. The reason for that is  
this." He looked at his friends and family. "Back in 1799, a headless  
horseman roamed Sleepy Hollow, New York. He took heads in the hope of  
finding his. But it was more than that." He looked down in  
fear. "Lady Van Tassel had summoned the horseman. Her real last name  
was Archer. She was stricken with greed. So the horseman took out the  
entire family tree. Except for Katrina Van Tassel and Young Nasbeth.  
My ancestors. My great-great grandfather finally stopped the madman.  
His name was-" He didn't finish it.

Giles did. "Constable Ichabod Crane. His exploits are well-known in  
the Watcher community." He explained.

Xander nodded. "But I don't know why he is leaving a trail of  
bodies." He sighed. "That doesn't make any sense."

Giles did know. He explained. "Every time the Hellmouth in destroyed,  
it moves on. Heading west. Once it was indeed in New York, but in  
time, moved onto Sunnydale. However, I no idea why he would do so."  
He confessed.

Xander continued. "I do. Because of Crane's interference, the Hessian  
told him he would take revenge. Against a decendent in the valley of  
the sun. That would also sit upon the Hellmouth." He looked at the  
others. "And he is after me." Xander said gravely.

The other gasped in unison. "No." Buffy whispered.

Parker Abrams was walking away from his latest conquest. Smirking. ~I  
still have it.~ He thought smugly. A demonic sound caught his  
attention.

He turned around to see a man in Colonial clothing coming at him on a  
black stead. With a broadswoard coming down on his neck.

He started to run as fast as he could. That did nothing, but burn  
energy.

The Horseman came up behind him. With one swift move, he sliced  
Parker's head off his body. Hessian used his sword and picked up the  
head.

He took a good look at the face. ~Another wrong head. I will find the  
current Crane descendant.~ The assasion moved on to his next target.

Alexander Lavelle Harris.

It is Xander's first night as a patrolman. And his first run-in with  
a body is now.

Xander looks over the headless corpse. ~Looks like that no-account,  
sleaze ball Parker Abrahms.~ He thought without emotion. Xander  
finally found the wallet. He opened it to find Parker driver's  
lisence. ~Yep. The corspe formally known as jerk-ball Parker.~

Xander then looked around for signs of the Horseman. "Paydirt." He  
whispered. Patrolman Harris found what he is looking for.

Horse hoofprints. Large ones, at that. And the strides are enormous.  
From estimating, Xander could tell the horse must be 15 hands tall at  
the shoulder.

The prints are 8 inches in diameter. ~No wonder Crane was so afraid.  
I would be too.~ Xander thought is disaray. ~But I can't afford to  
be. I have to be strong for the others. This is my fight. The others  
don't know what they're dealing with.~ He thought with bravety.

Xander stayed until Homicide showed up. Then he left on his crusade  
to stop the Hessian once and for all.

When he was finally off duty, Xander headed towards a shack he  
rented. In it, laid every single weapon he "borrowed" since his  
Junior year.

The rocket launcher used to take out the Judge. The tazer he fixed  
two years ago. And many more. But he was not searching for any of  
that. What he was looking for was something more conventional.

Under a tarp laid a very special sword. One that was passed down  
father to son since Ichabod did so with Young Nasbeth.

A special sword that was forged out of flame, fire and magic. One  
especially designed to destroy the Hessian Horseman, once and for all.

"Your time of murderous escapades is finally at end, Horseman. I will  
see to that, personally." Xander silently vowed.

At town square, the evilness from Sleepy Hallow was present. He was  
about to go about his search. When he was frozen in place. The German  
looked around for the source.

"You think that you could come in and do this? Without my  
retribution? You are sorely mistaken, German. You WILL obey me, or I  
WILL send you to hell myself." The young voice spoke. It came from a  
woman in a black cloak.

She removed the cloak to reveal Tara McClay. "It has been sometime,  
Horseman. Sometime, indeed."

When the dust cleared, the assasion and the knight stood up  
groggingly. And each raised their individual swords and clashed  
again. The hits lit up the night sky. {Think Highlander.}

And each knowing that they were too evenly matched.

Xander knew that he could not stop. His ancestor, Ichabod Crane, just  
watched the Hession retreat back to hell. He must send this monster  
back and make sure he stays there.

Even if it means his own life is taken.

Swords clashed once more. The backlash is not as great as before.  
They go at it again. And again. And again.

Meanwhile, at the Summers' residence.

Buffy's temper tamptrum had calmed down, considerably. And all where  
looking for anything that could help Xander Harris.

Wesley looked up from the diary he was reading. "I found something  
useful." He mentioned. "The Watcher at the time wrote in this  
passage. 'The Horseman ravaged all through town and the surroundings.  
Obeying the one who called him. She did so by using his skull. Only  
an experianced witch in the arts can do so. I have contacted the  
Council about this matter. From now on, the Watcher community will  
keep watch on all witches. For if this madman is released once more?  
Have mercy on all those in his path.'" He read. "There are only three  
witches that we know of in Sunnydale." Wes concluded.

"Amy is still a rat. So that rules her out." Giles went on. "Willow  
couldn't have done so. She stopped all together. So that leaves  
Tara." He summed up.

Willow was shocked. She knew her ex-girlfriend inside and out. And  
Willow knew that Tara would never do this. "Giles. You're wrong about  
this. Tara would never do anything like this." She defended her ex.

Wesley looked Willow directly in the eye. "Willow, love. Listen to  
me. We all know that Tara would never do this kind of thing. And I  
think that she isn't, but rather someone else." He surmised.

Giles was intrigued by this. "You may on to something Wesley." He  
went in search of "Possesions of the 18th Century". "Here it is. 'If  
a person is driven to greed, that person will be open to possesion by  
a malevonent spirit.' That is the key." He set the book down and  
looked up at his 'family'. "We must find the skull and Tara. Most  
likely she has possesion of the skull. However, I am at a loss to  
know where she might be." He admitted.

Willow thought for a momment. Then it came to her. "She'll be at the  
construction site! That's where she'll be, I'm positive of it!" She  
summed up.

Wesley beamed at his girlfriend. "Good thinking, Willow. Might I  
suggest that a small team go. Willow, Angel and myself will travel to  
the site. Gunn, Giles and Lorne will track down Xander and the  
horseman. The rest of you, stay here." He ordered.

Buffy was ticked off. "Where do you get off, Wesley? I should be out  
there. Not-" She was cut off.

Wesley finished for her. "-here is where you are needed, Buffy. You  
will be the last line of defense against the forces out there. You  
need to stay here and protect your mother and sister. Cordelia will  
also stay here, as well. She will be helping you. Now. Let's put my  
plan into action. Let's go." He said sturnly.

Back at 'ground zero'.

Xander and his immortal foe are still at it. Both unwilling to yeild.  
And both unwilling to die.

TBC


End file.
